Firefighters' strike 'putting lives at risk'

Industrial action by firefighters is putting lives at risk, with less than half the normal training, education, and smoke alarm installations completed since the strike began, the Fire Service says.

But the Professional Firefighters Union maintains the strike is necessary to improve working conditions and wage rates for firefighters, who risk their lives on the job every day.

Figures provided to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act show at least a 50 per cent drop in training, education, and smoke alarm installations since the 1800 professional firefighters began a partial strike on August 5 last year.

During the strike, firefighters have responded to emergency calls, but have not carried out training, equipment maintenance, home fire-safety checks, community smoke-alarm installations and data recording.

The latest round of negotiations is scheduled for tomorrow.

Fire Service human resources director Janine Hearn said the strike had put lives at risk.

"Smoke alarms are an important tool in the early detection of fire and have been shown to prevent loss of life and reduce property damage. It is therefore concerning that firefighters have elected to compromise public safety by refusing to continue installation of smoke alarms."

It was also disappointing that many children with firelighting problems were missing out on a free education programme that had success in reducing "unhealthy firelighting behaviour", Miss Hearn said.

Firefighters' refusal as part of their industrial action to undertake training also had the potential to compromise safety if the strike continued, she said.

Union president Steve Warner said he believed no lives had been lost because of the strike, but there was potential for that to happen.

He was "sorry" firefighters had not carried out all their duties since the strike began, but it was the Fire Service's fault because they were "playing really hard ball" and had not met union demands.

"We want to impact on the public as little as possible. We'd rather be doing our job."

Miss Hearn said the Fire Service had made significant offers since negotiations began. "I think it's unfair to say we're playing hard ball."

The Fire Service was offering a 2.7 per cent wage increase from the date of settlement and another 1.5 per cent from July 1 this year, she said.

Mr Warner said the union wanted a 2.5 per cent increase from January till June last year then 3.5 per cent for the year that began on June 30, 2011.

DROPPING OFF

Figures given to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act show that between August and November 2011 firefighters: Installed 2525 smoke alarms, compared compared with 5429 for the same period in 2010. Completed 12,033 training tasks, compared with 30,230 in 2010. Helped educate 115 young fire-starters through the Fire Service's awareness and intervention programme, compared with 267 for the same period in 2010.

- © Fairfax NZ News